More trouble ahead with the legalization of marijuana this year, health groups say
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Workers in Calgary’s hospitality industry remain exposed to second-hand smoke because of loopholes in the anti-smoking law passed a decade ago, health organizations say, as they also warned that employees face additional health risks from the legalization of marijuana this year.
The Campaign for a Smoke-Free Alberta, Heart and Stroke Foundation, Canadian Cancer Society, Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, and Action on Smoking and Health called on the province to close those loopholes, which they say place workers with asthma, allergies and heart disease at greater risk from the effects of second-hand smoke.
The Tobacco and Smoking Reduction Act took effect January 2008 but exceptions pertaining to the hospitality industry allowed smoking to continue in hotel guest rooms, long-term care facilities and hookah bars.
Kate Chidester, vice-president of health and research for the Heart and Stroke Foundation, told The Calgary Herald that there is no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke according to Health Canada, the US Environmental Protection Agency and the World Health Organization.
Public health physician Brent Friesen, who was also Calgary’s chief medical officer of health from 1999 to 2008, said the law generally bred working environments that did not expose people to triggers that would make them want to smoke.
“We’re now at a stage where we need to provide that uniform protection for all people,” he said.
Moreover, hazards associated with second-hand cannabis are similar to those with second-hand smoke. “Burning cannabis, smoking cannabis, releases the same toxic chemicals as when you burn tobacco,” Friesen added.
Les Hagen, executive director of Action on Smoking and Health, is surprised the government hasn’t been more responsive to these concerns.
“This government should be standing up for Albertans in precarious employment.” Hagen added.
“[But] when we talk to them about it, the response we get is, ‘well, we’ll deal with it eventually,’ but they’re running out of time. We’ve got cannabis legalization coming soon and it’s yet another reason we need to move on this issue sooner rather than later.”
Under the province’s cannabis framework, Albertans will be allowed to consume cannabis in some public spaces where smoking tobacco is allowed.
Hagen said that their advice was sought but not heeded.
“We all said, ‘don’t allow the smoking of this product in any indoor environment’ and they went ahead and did it anyway.”
“We believe the exposure to second-hand smoke on the job represents unsafe work,” said James Hart, vice-president of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees.
Last month, the government passed Bill 30 which makes it easier to refuse unsafe work. Hagen warned, however, that allowing people to smoke pot indoors would contradict the intent of that bill.
A spokesperson for Alberta Health Minister Sarah Hoffman said the government hasn’t yet made a final decision on whether “cannabis cafes or lounges” will be allowed.
Hoffman added the government is committed to protecting Albertans’ health and safety.
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